868. That which hinders us in comparing what formerly occurred in the Church
with what we see there now is that we generally look upon Saint Athanasius,
Saint Theresa, and the rest, as crowned with glory and acting towards us as
gods. Now that time has cleared up things, it does so appear. But at the
time when he was persecuted, this great saint was a man called Athanasius;
and Saint Theresa was a nun. "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we
are," says Saint James, to disabuse Christians of that false idea which
makes us reject the example of the saints as disproportioned to our state.
"They were saints," say we, "they are not like us." What then actually
happened? Saint Athanasius was a man called Athanasius, accused of many
crimes, condemned by such and such a counci